VOYAGE OF MISHAPS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 28 May 1928, Page 6

VOYAGE OF MISHAPS

» • BELGIAN STEAMER ARRIVES

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. _ The Belgian steamer Scheldepas arrived at Auckland at 9 o?clock on Friday night, after an eventful voyage. '' The ship was like a submarine ploughing through tho seas, with only her upper deck showing," said the-captain on the ship's arrival. The Scheldepas left Antwerp on 29th February, and if was a voyage of mishaps throughout.1 She called at Kingston,- Jamaica, to coal, only to' be held up by a strike of watersiders. After passing through the Panama Canal, heavy storms were met, and one night, off Galapagos Island, a derelict, which tho captain considered- was a semi-submerged wooden vessel, was struck. After this mishap, water found its way into No. 1 hold, and thence into the engine-room. The opinion was formed that the stem of the ship had been strained, and the Scheldepas put into Tahiti for temporary repairs. The vessel then visited Barotonga, aftor which several gales were encountered, ono very severe one lasting for several days. In the course of this storm, ono of the lifeboats was carried away from its davits and swept overboard, and damage was done to the railings, deck gear, and cabins. Captain Nepper expresses the opinion that he was fortunate to have been able to bring his vessel into Auckland before yesterday's heavy storm rose. The Scheldepas was examined by a marine surveyor.